


Been A Lot Of Places

by drunkybuddha



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Backpacker AU, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 23:11:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1529252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunkybuddha/pseuds/drunkybuddha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They hadn’t started their travels together.  It surprised everyone they met but a few months ago Niall and Harry hadn’t even known each. The thought was crazy to them as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Been A Lot Of Places

**Author's Note:**

> just a lil narry backpacker au drabble inspired by [this](http://drunkybuddha.tumblr.com/post/83963825103) gifset

It was Harry’s first night out in the big wide world. Just that morning he had said a tearful goodbye to his family at the airport. Well he had cried, and his mother cried. Gemma hugged him tightly and made him promise to write lots of postcards. Zayn just gave him a fist bump and told him to be careful around strangers.  
  
He arrived in Barcelona, ready to take on whatever came his way (with a backpack lovingly packed by his mother). The afternoon had flown by, a blur of random shops and gorgeous buildings. It was all so overwhelming that Harry simply stumbled around in a daze, not really taking anything in. By the end of the day Harry wasn’t sure if he had feet anymore or if they were stumps.  
  
Exhausted he managed to drag his forlorn body into the nearest pub. The neon sign outside loudly proclaimed it had the cheapest drinks in the city. It was a tad grottier than what Harry was used to but that’s what travel was all about. His sister had warned him not to expect the clean, friendly places he was used to.  
  
There were only a few other people in the dimly lit room, clustered together in groups around plates of food and giant jugs. Behind the bar a blond boy was cutting up with limes with an energy that Harry envied.  
  
He slide onto a stool right in front of the bartender, trying to ignore the stickiness on the seat that was probably going to stain his jeans. The blonde set down the knife and wiped his hands on a towel.  
  
“What can I get ya?”  
  
To Harry’s surprise the guy had an Irish accent. A really strong one. Taken aback he blinked wildly before he managed to mumble, “Oh um can I grab a beer please?”  
  
“English?” the blonde asked, perking up as he heard Harry talk.  
  
“Oh I don’t mind what kind. Just whatever’s cheapest.” Harry looked away from the bright blue eyes as he struggled to extract his wallet. Stupid fucking tight jeans making him look like an idiot.  
  
The bartender chortled loudly. “Nah mate, I meant are you English? I’m Niall by the way.” He stuck out his hand and waited.  
  
Cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, Harry returned the handshake. He was even more embarrassed when he realised how sweaty his palms were. “Oh right. Yeah, yeah I am,” he replied. “I’m Harry.”  
  
Niall smiled at Harry as he set a large glass under the tap. They both watched in companionable silence as it filled up until it was brimming with beer. Niall set the glass in front of Harry with a flourish.  
  
“There you go. Barcelona’s finest. That’s assuming you haven’t been here before because if you have then…” he trailed off, pulling a face.  
  
Harry took a large gulp of beer before he replied. Obviously he was more tired than he had realised, or hungrier or something, because he had a weird sensation in the pit of his stomach. “You’re fine. I’m a first timer.” Realising how stupid that sounded Harry flicked his eyes towards Niall but the blonde didn’t seem to be laughing at him. He was just sort of watching Harry with a small grin. “Anyway, what’s your story?”  
  
“I came over to watch a footie match and somehow never left,” Niall said with a shrug and a grin. “The local talents pretty good.” Niall’s eyes flicked up and down Harry’s body. “Plus all the tourists who come through.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Harry looked down at his drink, drumming his fingers against the bar top. He wanted to keep talking but his brain was failing him. It was weird because normally he had no trouble talking with strangers. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t freaked out about taking this trip.  
  
He was just about to ask about the weather when Niall tapped his hand on the bar, right underneath Harry’s face.  
  
“Hey mate, if you’re not busy I was wondering if you wanted to help me choose what music to play next?” He tossed a faded couple of CDs onto the counter. “We’ve got The Eagles or Abba.”  
  
After that Harry couldn’t shut himself up. He spent the next three hours, perched on the stool and throwing back beers. Niall poured a couple of glasses for himself too and only left his spot by Harry when another annoying customer needed something. Harry had never just clicked with someone like he found himself clicking with Niall. There was just something about him. And Harry was sure Niall felt the same. A few times he definitely caught Niall gazing at him and once, when Harry reached over to steal some ice cubes, Harry was pretty sure Niall had clenched his fist so he didn’t reach out and touch Harry.  
  
There was something in the air and it had Harry’s head spinning.  
  
Or maybe it was the beer.  
  
Harry only realised how drunk he was when he went to stand up at the end of the night. It was the end of Niall’s shift and so the end of Harry’s camp out. He set one foot on the floor safely enough but then he tried to put the other one down. Somehow he stood on his own foot and awkwardly tumbled down like a sack full of bricks, arms flailing and everything.  
  
“Fuck! You all right?” Niall called out, leaning across the bar to look down at Harry.  
  
Harry smiled up at him, amazed at how good Niall looked from this angle.  
  
“I think I might be drunk.”  
  
“I think you might be too.”  
  
Niall ended up walking Harry back to his hostel, one arm firmly clamped around his side. His fingers dug protectively into the fabric of Harry’s shirt. For his part Harry was happy enough to go along with it. The night air was fresh, he was in a new country and Niall smelled amazing for someone who had been working in a bar all day.  
  
They managed the twenty minute walk okay. The only hiccup was when Harry tried to rest his head on Niall’s shoulder while they were walking and had instead stumbled, almost taking Niall with him.  
  
When they reached the hostel doors, Niall finally let go of Harry’s waist. They stood for a few moments, neither one speaking or moving. Just looking at each other.  
  
Before he could help himself, Harry found himself saying, “Come with me.” He wasn’t sure why but he just knew that he didn’t want this to be the last moment he spent with this enthusiastic, Irish whirlwind of a person.  
  
Niall’s face lit up. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said happily, taking a step towards Harry. He reached an arm behind Harry and pulled him close. “I thought it was just me, ya know, who felt like this.”  
  
Harry shook his head, curls flying everywhere.  
  
“That’s uh... that’s not what I meant…” he muttered, looking down at the cobbles. He was so stupid. He was stupid and drunk, and god Niall was going to think he was an absolute nutcase. “I um, well I meant you should come with me. Around Europe and shit. Maybe we could hit up Asia?”  
  
It sounded even worse said out loud. Harry braced himself for the inevitable scoff of laughter.  
  
Instead Niall pulled him even closer and their lips smashed together. In Harry's head their first kiss tasted like beer and adventure.  
  
\--  
  
The next few months were the best ones of Harry’s life. They went everywhere together, exploring old cities and each other at the same time.  
  
It was almost mind blowing how well they fitted together, in a clichéd completing each other kind of way.  
  
Harry probably would have been dead in the first week if it wasn’t for Niall. He had been completely unprepared for how organised you needed to be when travelling. Niall on the other hand was a seasoned expert. He was always packed and ready to leave at a moment’s notice, whereas Harry lived in a constant state of disarray, forever forgetting where he put things.  
  
They only missed one train though in all their months together, so Harry never quite understood Niall’s dedication to their timetable. Or his overblown reaction when they missed said train in Vienna.  
  
Harry was man enough to admit that it had been fault but in his defense backpacks were really annoying to pack in a rush. Particularly when you had as many headscarves as Harry did. Niall had tried to stay mad at him while they waited for the next train and he even continued his pouting all the way to Budapest. Once they arrived though all was forgiven because they had a new city to fuck in and that was probably Niall’s favourite part.  
  
They egged each other on really. Both in the sex in random places department and the eating weird foods one. Harry learned that snails were actually fine, but deep fried crickets were horrendous.  
  
He also learned that Niall liked to suck on his neck so hard Harry had bruises for days and that if you talked dirty to Niall his toes would literally curl up. Harry learned that blowjobs in semi-public places were the best memories to collect on the way and that if you try hard enough you can sleep anywhere. He collected a lifetimes worth of memories and knowledge, all crammed together in his brain along with the overwhelming realisation that he couldn’t imagine doing any of this without Niall.  
  
The best part was all the photos they took. Harry’s phone was full of snapshots of various landmarks all around the world and the best part of every photo was Niall’s bright grin. He took just as many photos of them together, pulling weird faces or snogging in the middle of a crowd. Some of the comments on his Instagram began to get very bitter, as every day he posted another selfie of them together, looking like the poster children for romantic holidays. Zayn starting to just leave the shit emoji in his comments and Niall’s friend Liam followed Harry just so he could threaten Harry with grievous bodily harm if anything happened to Niall.  
  
\--  
  
His favorite memory was from the end of their travels.  
  
It was hard to imagine a more romantic setting. If you had asked Harry years ago, he might have described something similar. Actually being in that situation though was incredible.  
  
France. The sun setting. With the boy he maybe, kind of, almost certainly loved. It was like a dream. Smiling happily, Harry set to work spreading out their blankets across the grass.  
  
He had just gotten everything in order when there was a thud. Harry turned around to see what mess Niall has made this time, but surprisingly there was nothing. Just Niall flopping down on the blanket, proudly holding a bottle of wine.  
  
Cheap wine but then again in France any wine was good.  
  
He waited patiently for Niall to pass him the bottle, enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside. When he finally handed it over Harry sniffed the wine before he took a sip. It never stopped him from drinking it, but it always seemed like the right thing to do.  
  
He found himself staring out, lost in thought and taking lazy sips from the bottle, until Niall reached out for it again.  
  
“Don’t be so greedy Styles.”  
  
“Shut up. This was my idea,” Harry retorted, but he handed the bottle over.  
  
Niall rolled his eyes as he took a large swig of the wine.  
  
“Come here,” he motioned once he was done, patting a spot on the blanket right next to him.  
  
Harry scooted over and wriggled into place so they were both lying on their backs, watching the stars side by side.  
  
Harry could feel Niall breathing next to him, the slight rise and fall of his chest a pleasant reminder he was still there as the minutes flew by without either of them saying a word.  
  
“I love France,” Niall said eventually. “Great bread.”  
  
Harry scoffed. Sometimes he wasn’t quite sure how Niall’s brain functioned.  
  
“I think the companies’ pretty good,” he replied, turning to smile at Niall.  
  
“Very true. The wine’s not bad either.”  
  
“Speaking of, I’m getting thirsty.” Harry jabbed Niall lightly in the stomach, just in case he didn’t get her point. Niall wordlessly handed the bottle over.  
  
Lost in thought, Harry took another gulp of wine. And then another, just because it was France and who was there to stop them. Then just one more for good luck.  
  
Harry set the bottle down again before he was tempted to take another sip. Finally he turned his attention back to Niall. The waning rays from the sun were hitting his hair and making it shine in a way that seemed unnatural. The only thing brighter was his smile.  
  
Harry wanted to pinch himself. Instead he leaned over to lay a kiss against his cheek.  
  
“I love you,” he whispered, the words pressed onto Niall’s skin.  
  
“l love ya too, you crazy kid,” Niall whispered back.  
  
Their hands found each as they watched the sun disappear beyond the horizon.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not too sure about this but i was feeling inspired. anyway hope you enjoyed, come say hi to me on [tumblr](http://drunkybuddha.tumblr.com/)


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